


a million dreams

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, the greatest showman au, there's gay marriage in my 1800s because i said so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:00:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24870454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Some day. I promise you, Alyssa. Some day, I’m going to make something of myself. Something that not even your father could disapprove of. I’m going to give you the life you deserve, and then some.”Alyssa tugs on Emma’s sleeve until she jumps back down, then shyly tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “What… What if I don’t need all that? What if I just need you?”Emma’s grin is bright enough that, if the match went out, Alyssa is certain that no light would be lost in the room. “You can have that, too.”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan, Kaylee/Shelby (The Prom Musical)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	a million dreams

_ “Alyssa, sit up straight.” _

She resists the urge to roll her eyes as her mother hovers over her, pushing her elbow off the table, adjusting how she’s holding her fork. There’s some sort of further instruction about proper utensil etiquette, but she doesn’t pay attention, her focus on the tailor in the other room with her father.

More specifically, the tailor’s daughter.

Emma seems impatient, distracted, but she’s keeping it together as best she can for her father’s sake, obediently fetching whatever supplies are needed as he measures a new suit out for Mr. Greene.

Alyssa zones out as she sets a place setting more on memory than actually trying, still paying more attention to Emma, and, in the split second when her mother’s attention diverts away from her, Emma meets her gaze.

And, in that split second, Emma rolls her eyes.

Alyssa can’t help it. She’s been on a knife’s edge all afternoon, and the motion makes her break, barking a sharp laugh that splits the professional silence of her father’s house.

She covers her mouth with her hand immediately, but it’s too late.

“Alyssa,” her father says. “Come here.”

The walk from the dining room to the living room is longer than she remembers. When she gets there, she stands nervously in front of her father, waiting for the anger.

“Is there something  _ funny _ about etiquette?”

“I-I… I…”

“It was my fault, sir,” Emma blurts out.

Mr. Greene turns her head towards her, his eyes narrow. “Excuse me?”

“I-I made her laugh, sir.”

“Well. Thank you for your honesty.”

Just when Alyssa starts to relax, her father does something that she knows she should’ve expected, but that still takes her completely by surprise.

He hits Emma across the face.

Mrs. Greene and Mr. Nolan both flinch, but neither says anything as Mr. Greene grabs Emma by one of her suspenders and pulls her in closer to him.

“The next time you find something amusing,” he growls, “leave my daughter out of it.”

He lets her go with a small shove to make her stumble, then takes Alyssa’s arm and leads her out of the room.

* * *

Emma lays in the grass near the edge of the cliff, watching the clouds as the sea breeze blows around her.

“I was hoping you’d still be here.”

She tilts her head, looking up as Alyssa sits down next to her. “How’d you escape the castle?”

“The only guard is our maid and the windows open easily.” Alyssa reaches out with hesitant fingers, touching the red mark on Emma’s cheek. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“Not your fault.”

“Why’d you take the blame?”

“I was the one who made you laugh. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if he’d hit you for something I did.” Emma shrugs. “Besides. Better if he blames me. He hates me anyway.”

“He doesn’t…” Alyssa trails off and bows her head, playing with a blade of grass. “I think he just doesn’t… care. About you or your father.”

Emma nods and focuses on the clouds. “Do… Do you?”

“Emma, you know I do.”

“Not really. I mean, why should you?”

“Em-”

She clears her throat and stands, holding her hand out to Alyssa. “Can I show you something?”

Alyssa’s brow furrows, setting her hand in Emma’s and letting her pull her to her feet. “Sure?”

* * *

Emma leads her through the forest, to the old abandoned mansion that’s been overgrown for as long as Alyssa can remember. She helps Alyssa over the fence, then pulls her towards the door.

“Should we be going in here?” Alyssa asks.

“Maybe not, but that’s the adventure. Besides, we’re going to live here someday.”

Alyssa’s gaze softens. “We?”

“Uh-huh.” Emma pushes the door open, and Alyssa’s breath catches in her throat when she sees the huge foyer, beautiful even under the ivy. “Look at it, Lys. Isn’t it gorgeous? Sure, it needs to be built to what it can be, but so do I.”

She takes Alyssa’s hand again and guides her deeper into the mansion, using a match to light their way, laughing as Alyssa tries her hardest not to get dust on her dress.

“Can’t you see it? What this place can become?”

“Of course I do,” Alyssa says with a laugh. “But Em, we’re  _ eleven. _ We can’t live here.”

“No, I know that. But I’m gonna.” Emma jumps up onto an old desk and uses her light to cast shadows on the wall, making Alyssa giggle as she invents shapes with simple twists and turns of abandoned equipment. “Some day. I promise you, Alyssa. Some day, I’m going to make something of myself. Something that not even your father could disapprove of. I’m going to give you the life you deserve, and then some.”

Alyssa tugs on Emma’s sleeve until she jumps back down, then shyly tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “What… What if I don’t need all that? What if I just need you?”

Emma’s grin is bright enough that, if the match went out, Alyssa is certain that no light would be lost in the room. “You can have that, too.”

There’s something between them that Alyssa can’t place, a strange tension she doesn’t understand, and it makes her take a step back. Emma doesn’t move, but she rubs the back of her neck with her free hand, looking nervous, as if she’s felt it, too.

“You know I’m going to boarding school in the fall,” Alyssa murmurs. “Will you write to me?”

“Every week,” Emma promises.

“Only every week?” Alyssa teases.

“Hey, the letters need time to get there, don’t they?”

“I guess that’s true.” Alyssa feels a sudden surge of confidence, and she leans forward quickly, kissing Emma on the cheek. “I’ll write you back,” she murmurs. “Every time.”

“I’ll write to you every week, but I’ll dream about you every day,” Emma whispers.

“That’s a lot of dreams, Emma Nolan.”

“That’s fine.” Emma looks up at the wall, at the shadows dancing from the match in her hand. “I have a lot of room for them.”


End file.
